Los Angeles County District Attorney News Release:
A man was convicted today of torturing and killing his girlfriend in West Hollywood two years ago, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced.
Jurors deliberated for less than a day before finding Blake Leibel (dob 5/8/81) guilty of one count each of first-degree murder, aggravated mayhem and torture. The panel also found true the special circumstance allegations of murder involving torture and mayhem.
Deputy District Attorneys Tannaz Mokayef and Beth Silverman of the Major Crimes Division prosecuted the case.
In May 2016, Leibel murdered his 30-year-old girlfriend, Iana Kasian, at an apartment they shared in West Hollywood. Kasian was tortured and mutilated before she was killed and all of her blood was drained from her body.
Leibel was later arrested at the apartment where he had barricaded himself.
He faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole when he is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26.
This case was investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau. Original News Release from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
LA Co DA News Release:
http://da.lacounty.gov/media/news/man-convicted-murdering-girlfriend-west-hollywood
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ORIGINAL LASD NEWS RELEASE FROM 05/26/16 IS AS FOLLOWS:
#LASD Dets Respond to 8500 Blk of Holloway Dr West Hollywood to Investigate Death of a Woman
Date and Time
Of Occurrence: Thursday, May 26, 2016 at approximately 11:30 a.m.
Location: 8500 block of Holloway Drive, West Hollywood
Victim: Female adult
Unit: Homicide Bureau – Lieutenant Coleman
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide detectives are responding to the 8500 block of Holloway Drive in the city of West Hollywood, to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of a woman. The woman was suffering from blunt force trauma.
The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
The suspect is believed to be a male White adult.
The investigation is on-going and there is no additional information available at this time.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call "Crime Stoppers" by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), or texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.
Forwarded by:
Sheriff’s Information Bureau – Newsroom
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
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Jim McDonnell, Sheriff
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
